


X Kisses

by pi_meson



Series: Yuri's L-Words [4]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Background Victuuri - Freeform, Kissing, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-03
Updated: 2017-06-10
Packaged: 2018-11-08 14:32:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 7,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11083563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pi_meson/pseuds/pi_meson
Summary: Ten times Otabek and Yuri kiss.Prompts fromhere





	1. Hesitant

Yuri hated his suit. It was tight under his arms, itched around the waistband and it was the most _bo-o-oring_ dark blue teamed with a pale tie. He thought he looked like a desk jockey. He wasn't wrong. It was a _terrible_ suit, and he had grown since the last time he'd had to wear it. Yuri scowled at the mirror in the restroom and wriggled his hips, trying to position the waistband lower to hide the fact that his pawprint patterned socks were showing. Lilia had been kind enough not to laugh when he slunk into the banquet room, but she had made a point of telling Yuri she would send him shopping with Victor as soon as they got home.

The only thing that made him feel better about it was that Katsudon's was worse: pale blue, with wide lapels from an earlier decade and a hand-me-down sheen to the elbows. Yuri sniggered when he overheard Vitya threaten to set fire to it.

Yuri emerged and looked around for people he knew, or at least for Otabek. Victor called his name and Yuuri waved but they were immediately distracted by Christophe, who wanted to tease Victor by congratulating Yuuri on his new world record free skate score. Yuri turned away but heard his name again. Christophe had spotted him and did not intend to miss the opportunity to prolong Victor's agony. 

"Yuri!" Christophe loped over, looped an arm around the smaller boy's shoulders and steered him across the floor to Victor. "Hey Victor, I found the other half of the team who replaced you as the world's greatest skater! Is that why you're coming back to compete, old man? And Yuri, what was that exhibition skate! You know it's _exhibition_ and not _exhibitionist,_ yes?"  
Victor bore the ribbing well but Yuri felt a twitch in his jaw that indicated annoyance. He twisted to glare up at Christophe. "You're one to talk! At the end of your free skate you looked like you were about to co–"  
"Ah, Yurio! Let's get food!"  
Yuuri's hand was on his arm. Yuri shook it off, but it was a good escape route. He nodded and followed Yuuri to the buffet table.

There was still no sign of Otabek. Yuri debated texting him again but decided it might look desperate since he had already sent three messages that still appeared unread when he checked. Yuuri was talking, looking at him expectantly. Yuri shrugged.  
"What?"  
"I said, _your exhibition skate surprised everyone. Did you and Lilia-sensei plan it just for the final?"_  
Yuri responded with a spluttered giggle then shook his head and leaned close to speak in a low voice. "Lilia had nothing to do with it. I got sick of being told how to skate! I can do what I want now."  
To Yuri's surprise, instead of launching into a lecture about the lack of respect he had shown his coach and choreographer, Yuuri just smiled and nodded and invited him to visit Hasetsu again.

Yuri's phone buzzed and he fumbled it out of his pocket. At last, Otabek was on his way. Yuri stood near Yuuri, Victor and Christophe, and pretended not to be watching the door. He hissed when the next person to arrive was JJ Leroy, with Isabella clinging to his arm, the most perfectly dressed, perfect couple in the history of perfection. All eyes followed Leroy and his fiancée as they made their way across to the dance floor. All eyes except Yuri's. As Leroy moved out of the way, he revealed Otabek behind him with his coach.

Yuri stared. Otabek with his hair just slightly disheveled. Otabek in a suit that fit him well. Otabek with a slight frown, checking out the room. Otabek locking eyes with him and walking over. Yuri thought his heart must be audible to the whole room. To cover it, he waited until Otabek was close enough and grumbled, "What took you so long, huh?"  
"I was asleep. Coach almost broke the door down trying to wake me up." Otabek smiled and Yuri couldn't help but smile back. 

Christophe soon got bored of teasing Victor and went to the bar. Victor and Yuuri huddled together and were soon deep in discussion about how the next season might work for them. Yuri looked at Otabek, who scanned the room again before asking, "How long did your coach say you have to stay here? Mine said I can go after an hour."  
"I didn't ask so I can go whenever I want."  
"Okay. Do you want to–" A voice and a snigger cut him off.  
"Hey! Come and dance with me!" Yuri rolled his eyes as Sara Crispino locked her arm with Otabek's and pulled him away. Beside her, Mila laughed at Yuri's furious expression and offered him her arm.  
"Come on, I want to dance too and if you say no I'll have to put up with Michele. Please?"  
Yuri sighed and cooperated. Mila kept her eyes on Sara and Otabek while dancing with Yuri. After a minute, Yuri asked, "Huh, would you rather be dancing with Beka?"  
Mila laughed and shook her head. "No, but I think you would. Follow my lead, Yura!"  
Yuri frowned but followed Mila across the dance floor. She paused next to Sara and Otabek, tapped Otabek's arm and interrupted.  
"Hey, mind if I cut in before Michele sees you?"  
Otabek looked nonplussed as Mila put her arm around Sara's waist and waltzed her away giggling, leaving Yuri and Otabek in the middle of the dance floor. Yuri flushed pink and Otabek frowned, but held his arms out. "Do you want to dance?"  
"No," Yuri replied quickly. "Not here anyway."  
"Only on the ice, then?"  
Yuri nodded. He very much wanted to skate with Otabek.

They found a corner to hide in and sat with food and drinks to watch the great and good of the skating world celebrate. Victor had already removed his jacket and tie, and when he stood unsteadily to fetch more champagne, his shirt untucked. Yuuri looked happy, although Yuri knew that missing out on gold by a fraction of a point had to sting. He smirked at the thought. Sara was dancing with Emil, and nearby it looked as if Michele was being restrained by Christophe, although it could have been a particularly close hug. You never knew with Chris. JJ Leroy and Isabella had not been more than a few inches apart all evening and JJ was leading her to the buffet table with an arm around her waist.

Otabek nudged Yuri's elbow and pointed.  
"Who is Madame Lilia talking to?"  
Yuri looked over to the table where Lilia and Yakov had settled. Yakov was not there and in his place sat a woman with hair as long and black as Lilia's. They were laughing.  
"That's Katsudon's ballet teacher, Minako-sensei. He must have got her in to meet Lilia. I bet they're both drunk. Ooh! Beka! Look!"  
Yuri pointed. Over by the bar, Coach Yakov was red-faced and pointing at the Kazakhstan team coach.  
"Oh crap. Yura, we should leave."

Yuri slipped out of the banquet room while Lilia was still entertained by Minako, and Otabek followed a moment later. They met by the elevator doors.  
"Where do you want to go?" Otabek asked. "I can't take you to a club."  
"What did you have to drink tonight?" replied Yuri, pulling at his tie.  
"Uh? Mineral water. I don't drink much. You?"  
"Same. So you have a bike and we're sober so we could go anywhere that isn't here. Meet you outside in ten minutes?"  
Otabek answered with a grin.

They didn't exactly go anywhere. With no clear destination in mind, Otabek took Yuri on a tour of the old town and the harbour. It was cold on the bike and Yuri thought his fingers might fall off. When they stopped by the sea and walked along the deserted promenade, whipped by icy blasts that stung their cheeks, Otabek put an arm around Yuri.  
"You're shivering."  
"It's fucking freezing!"  
"Wait." Otabek stopped and unfastened his jacket. He stood with his back to the wind. "Come closer. Put your hands– AAAH!"  
Yuri giggled and defrosted his hands on Otabek's back.  
"Why are you so hot?" Yuri's face warmed. "I don't mean.... I mean don't you get cold?"

Otabek shrugged and pulled Yuri closer, hugging him tight. Yuri snuggled into Otabek's chest and rested his head on Otabek's shoulder. He looked up after a minute or two to see if Otabek was bored yet, but Otabek just smiled back. Yuri angled his head and touched Otabek's cheek with his own, ready to let go if Otabek flinched or evaded, but he felt the gentle force returned equally. He moved slowly, hesitantly, turning his head, the soft skin of his face sliding over Otabek's barely-there stubble until their lips were millimetres apart. It wasn't a kiss, not exactly, not at first. Yuri made the lightest touch of his lips on Otabek's. Otabek dipped his head just enough to chase the contact without adding anything more. Yuri felt that he might burst, he might fall, he might die of whatever feeling made him want to cling on and not let go. He felt Otabek's warm breath in contrast to the cold wind and smiled, pressing his lips to Otabek's a little harder. 

"Aah, Yura! We should go back. Even I'm freezing now." Otabek seemed to shake himself and laughed once. Yuri dropped his head and bit his lip. Otabek noticed. "Yura?"  
Yuri wrapped his arms around himself and nodded. "Yeah. Coming."  
Otabek pulled off one glove and stroked Yuri's face. He leaned in and kissed him softly once on the left cheek, once on the right and once lingering on his lips, then stepped back to see Yuri's smile.

Otabek dropped Yuri at the front of the hotel and went to park his bike. On his way back up from the basement garage, his phone chimed. It was from Yuri.  
_Ambushed in lobby by fire-breathing dragons. Confined to their stinking cave. See you tomorrow?_


	2. Early

(Set the morning after _Rite of Spring_ )

They hadn't talked about it at all. Yuri didn't mind so much now that Beka was here in Saint Petersburg, warm and quiet in his bed all night for the first time. They hadn't even fooled around and that was okay too. Still, Yuri sometimes thought about the time he'd kissed Beka, kind of, felt again the hot thrill when Beka almost kissed him back, kind of, and the icicle stab when Beka pulled away only to console him with three friendly kisses full of warm affection but lacking the heat he'd wanted so badly to burn him up.

He'd missed Beka the next day. They'd texted half the night until replies dried up because sleep couldn't be denied any longer, and by the time Yuri surfaced the Kazakh team was halfway to the airport. Yuri still had Beka's message from that unhappy morning.

_Let's skate together soon._

In the three months since Barcelona, Yuri had worked hard to make that happen. He'd been as well behaved as he could. He rested when told, stretched and done weights and cardio although gym work bored him, and put up with most of the team sponsors' demands on his time. And it had worked! He'd been allowed to invite Beka to stay with him for his birthday and they had spent a glorious, dizzily exciting week exploring the city, skating for fun and just hanging out. Yuri sighed. There were two more precious days with Beka until he had to go back home to Almaty.

Better make the most of it. Yuri lay down again with his head on Beka's shoulder and closed his eyes. They had fallen asleep together a few times thanks to Skype, which was nice in its own way, but a pale experience compared to this.

Beka groaned and shifted and yawned and stretched, dislodging Yuri who yawned in sympathy.  
 _"waatimsit?"_  
Yuri reached over Beka to check his phone. "Early. Too early."  
"Mmhmm." Beka yawned again and blinked at Yuri. Yuri giggled.  
"You are _so_ not a morning person!" He slid over Beka to get out of bed and kissed him quickly on the way past, missing his lips. "Good morning anyway."


	3. Unbreakable

Otabek picked his case up out of the car and extended the handle. Yuri stood a little behind and Lilia remained in the driving seat. She called through the open door,  
"Yura? I'll wait in the short-stay car park. Don't be too long. Beka? I hope you have a safe flight home."  
"Okay," called Yuri without looking away from Otabek. Otabek closed the door and waved to Lilia as the car drove slowly away.  
"Do you have to go through security right away?"  
"No." Otabek smiled at Yuri. "Come with me to check in my bag." 

Otabek walked slowly, trundling his case. His other hand found Yuri's and held it, fingers lacing, not letting go until he was called forward. Yuri waited while Otabek answered all the usual questions, watched his case rumble away on a conveyor belt, and received his boarding card.  
"Do you want to get coffee?"  
Yuri smiled and nodded and reached for Beka's hand.

They ordered the most ridiculous drinks from the menu just because they could. Otabek's was mint chocolate with an espresso shot drowned in it somewhere just so it could still be called 'coffee'. Yuri's didn't even pretend. He stirred the pink and cream confection with a wide straw and found them a small, round table in the corner of the airport cafe. They sat and tried their drinks. Yuri laughed at Beka's expression as he tasted mint-choc-caramel-cream-frapp and screwed up his face.  
"This is so sweet even you would like it!"  
They swapped drinks and swapped back, each declaring the other's to be disgusting.

Conversation was difficult. If you only have half an hour, what do you say? Otabek had no idea. He wanted to stroke Yuri's hair and kiss his face, but he knew he'd missed the right time to do that out of fear that Yuri wouldn't want it. He could have kissed the beautiful boy a hundred times by now if he wasn't such a coward, afraid that he'd be banished to Madame Lilia's spare room and kept at arm's length afterwards. He'd had to be content with polite _good morning_ and _good night_ kisses, soft, quick brushes of lips on cheek or forehead while Yuri snuggled into his shoulder.

A small part of Otabek wondered if he was some kind of idiot.

"...so I said I'd ask you and maybe we could."  
Otabek looked up from his murky drink. Yuri was looking at him with wide open eyes and a little smile.  
"Sorry, I was thinking. What did you say?"  
"Katsudon invited me to visit him and Vitya in Hasetsu. He asked if you wanted to visit too."  
"Oh!" Otabek frowned. "I'd have to ask coach."  
"Katsudon's family owns an onsen. You should definitely come there with me. We could skate too."   
Otabek smiled.

It was time to go. Their half-finished drinks abandoned, Yuri and Otabek walked towards the security area. Yuri flipped his hood back up. Otabek put his arm around Yuri's shoulders and Yuri slipped his arm around Otabek's waist. They slowed to a halt a short distance from the place they would have to say goodbye and mean it, and Yuri put his other arm around Otabek's waist too, holding on tight.  
"Yura?"  
Yuri looked up. Otabek swept a stray blond strand away from Yuri's eyes and let his finger trace Yuri's jaw. Neither of them could blink, neither could hear anything over the rush in their ears. Otabek kissed Yuri softly. Left cheek. Right cheek.

It felt different this time. Yuri parted his lips and tilted his head, caught Otabek's lower lip between his and pulled at it. Otabek ran his tongue along Yuri's upper lip and tasted sugar when Yuri moved and their tongues touched. He pulled back for a second and Yuri followed, arms thrown around Otabek's neck, pulling him back in, and Otabek kissed Yuri again and again.

Someone whistled and Otabek pulled away, grinning, leaning his forehead on Yuri's for a moment.  
"I have to go," he murmured.  
"I know," Yuri murmured back, with a grin that matched Otabek's.  
"I'll see you in Hasetsu." Otabek knew in that instant that it was a promise he would keep.  
Yuri nodded and they separated with reluctance. He sighed. "I don't want to watch you go, okay?"  
Otabek nodded, leaned forward to kiss Yuri's forehead and was rewarded with a swerve and a glare.  
"Don't you _dare_ kiss me as if I was your grandmother after that!"  
Otabek laughed and hugged Yuri, head still spinning.

They turned and walked away from each other. Otabek looked round to wave when he reached the point of no return, but Yuri was nowhere to be seen.


	4. Broken

Yuri did _not_ keep the text Otabek sent him from the plane, just before he had to turn on airplane mode. He showed it to Lilia in a fit of furious despair when she came to see what the matter was, and she made him delete it right there.

Otabek couldn't have a boyfriend. He didn't have time. Too much training to commit to anything right now. Too far away. But they were friends, right?

Asshole.

Lilia told him not to answer. To wait and let the boy figure out what he wants. To take time to figure out what _you_ want too.  
_Maybe it's for the best, eh? Should I ask some of the young danseurs to join us for ballet practice this week? They're nice boys. No? Okay._

Yuri was not the patient type. He sent Otabek a reply anyway.  
_Fuck you! Who needs friends like you anyway._  
He even included a selfie.

Victor had a solution. A couple of days later he was on Skype with enthusiasm flooding over the speakers.  
"Yu-u-ura-a-a! Come to Japan! Yu-chan wants to see you skate and the triplets want to fuss over you. Mari kept you a room!"  
Yuri scowled at his laptop screen. Victor pixellated and disappeared, and Katsudon's nervous smile took his place.  
"Yurio-kun! Please visit. Minako-sensei will arrange things with Lilia-sensei so your training won't suffer. Yu-chan says you can skate all you want."  
When Yuri mentioned it to Lilia, she immediately looked up flights, let Yuri choose which date to fly out and emailed Minako details of Yuri's ballet training.

Yuri's phone vibrated on the table. He snatched it up and opened his messages, reading through in the daily order they had arrived.

_...Yura, I'm sorry._

_...Can we talk sometime?_

_...I miss Skyping with you every day._

_...Did you listen to the CD I sent you?_

_...I really want to skate with you again._

_...Did I make you hate me?_

Yuri glanced at the unopened padded envelope with the Kazakhstan stamps in the corner. It had only arrived that morning. He dropped his phone on his bed and tore open the package. Inside was a clear plastic case containing a CD. In Otabek's carefully neat writing, on the top surface, the label said, _For my best friend and fellow soldier._

Yuri hesitated, but fed the disc into the slot on his laptop. By the time the final track, _Welcome to the Madness_ finished, he was face down on his bed. He was _not_ crying. Definitely not. He groped for his phone and opened his messages again.

_I don't want to talk to you yet._

_Thanks for the CD._

An hour later, after a shower and food and awkward conversation with Lilia, Yuri sent one more message.

_I'm going to Hasetsu next week._

 

\----------------

 

Victor and Katsudon still annoyed the hell out of Yuri but he had to admit to himself that he was having a good time. He'd eaten pork cutlet bowl every day, lounged in the hot spring, walked on the beach, taught Axle, Lutz and Loop one of the easier spins and laughed with them when they got dizzy, and gossiped about Lilia with Minako at her snack bar after ballet. He'd just come in from the hot spring, padding through the house in a guest robe and slippers, when he noticed a case by the door and heard Hiroko welcoming a new guest.

Yuri stood frozen, stomach churning, when he heard the guest reply. The voices were getting closer and Yuri had nowhere to go, no escape route. Hiroko came in first.  
"Ah! Yurio-kun! Another friend of Yuuri-kun has come to stay. You know each other?"  
Yuri couldn't speak. Mouth hanging open, he just nodded. Otabek slipped into the hallway beside Hiroko. Hiroko smiled at Yuri. "Would you mind showing Beka-chan to his room? The one Vic-chan had last year?"  
Yuri nodded and headed for the stairs. Otabek picked up his case and followed.

"Here," Yuri slid the screen door open and stepped inside. Otabek looked around.  
"It's nice!"  
"You should unpack and go use the hot spring."  
"Yura..."  
Yuri waited, wondering just how awkward this could get. Otabek shifted his weight from foot to foot and gave a slight shrug. Yuri watched his face intently until Otabek met his rude stare. Was this going to be an apology? Was he ready to endure the _let's be friends_ conversation like a sensible adult? Otabek looked away, sucked and bit his lip then his face reddened and crumpled.  
"Yura-a-a!"

Otabek lunged forward and his arms folded around Yuri's back. Yuri let himself be pulled close. He put his arms around Otabek's neck and held on tight, breathing in the air that smelled so exciting, so good. Otabek caressed Yuri's hair and somehow they were locked together, unable to separate. Yuri closed his eyes to concentrate on the feeling of Otabek's lips and tongue warm and soft on his, the feeling that sent shivers through his core, letting his hand stray up to stroke the short, fuzzy hair at the back of his head knowing Otabek liked when he touched there, ignoring the sound of a snigger from the passage outside. He didn't care that the screen door was still open and he was getting light-headed just from the effort of staying upright. Otabek broke away, stepped back, wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. Yuri frowned.  
"Why are you crying?"  
"I missed you."  
"Well I'm here now, aren't I?" Yuri closed the door. "Are we going to make out or are we just friends?"


	5. Distracting

Otabek woke to the sound of a hissed curse. Yuri was half-sitting up and playing on his phone. He yawned and stretched and slipped an arm across Yuri's thighs and snuggled closer.  
"Mmm, Yura."  
"Sshh, you're not supposed to be in here. _Literally_ paper thin walls and Victor is right next door, remember?" Yuri swiped at his screen and breathed out a satisfied little _gotcha!_ Otabek groaned, muffled by the soft fabric of Yuri's teeshirt. He remained still for a moment. Yuri was warm and comfortable and smelled good.  
"Aaah dammit!"  
"Hmm?"  
"I'm out of the black and yellow pokeballs but the onsen pokestop should go blue again in a minute."  
Otabek gently headbutted Yuri's side.  
"You woke up next to Kazakhstan's hottest singles skater, and decided to play _Pokemon Go?"_  
"Yeah, so what? Hey I got two ultraballs and a raspberry!"

Otabek smiled and nuzzled at Yuri's side, making him squirm and complain through his giggles. He wriggled higher, pulling Yuri's loose teeshirt up with his teeth then sank back down to kiss the sliver of skin he'd exposed, working a line across from Yuri's hip to his navel, sniggering at the sounds Yuri desperately tried not to make, and tickling him with his nose. Yuri dropped his phone and held Otabek's head still with both hands, crushing the side of Otabek's face into his stomach. 

Yuri released the pressure on Otabek's head and stroked his hair instead. He smiled. "Okay you have my full attention now, Beka! But you made me miss a Farfetch'd."  
"Oh." Otabek hauled himself up the bed and kissed Yuri twice then murmured quietly, "Is there anything I can do to make up for that?" He kissed Yuri again, slipped both arms around him and rolled over, pulling Yuri half on top of him. Yuri blushed and pushed himself out of bed, clutching the baggy robe he'd borrowed from the onsen and throwing it loosely around himself.  
"You can buy me takoyaki for lunch."


	6. Empty

Yuri and Otabek took the day off and went to the beach early before anyone could tell them not to. It was not yet warm enough to brave the ocean with anything more daring than bare feet and rolled-up jeans. They walked close together, bumping occasionally, pushing and yelling when a wave threatened to surge above mid-calf and soak fabric, avoiding all talk of Otabek's flight home the day after next. Yuri still felt light when he thought about how close they had become and how quickly, yet heavy at the thought of saying goodbye again.

They walked back across the beach and sat on a low wall by the promenade, near Otabek's rented bike, rubbing grains from their feet. Otabek took a selfie that Yuri wouldn't let him upload: two windswept faces smiling into the sun. Otabek pouted and hovered a thumb over the delete button but Yuri stopped his hand. "No! I like it," he insisted, "almost as much as this one. And I'm not sharing it."  
Yuri brought his phone out and showed Otabek a selfie from an hour or two earlier with Yuri's head on his shoulder, a sleepy smile and half-shut eyes, while he dozed, oblivious. Otabek laughed and shook his head.  
"Okay, but no more creepy photos of me sleeping."  
They took a few extra photos for sharing online and caught up on missed messages.

"Yura!" Grinning, Otabek looked up from his phone and squeezed Yuri's leg to get his attention. "Come home with me. You can get on my flight with me then get another flight from Almaty back to Saint Petersburg when you want."  
Yuri's face lit up. "You want me to visit?"  
"Of course! You can come to my rink with me and stay at my house. Coach said yes. So did my parents."

Yuri launched himself onto Otabek and almost tipped them off their perch. Otabek cradled Yuri in his lap and kissed him.  
"Mmm. We won't be able to do this in public, especially near my parents."  
Yuri pulled back and frowned. "What? Why not?"  
"I'm..." Otabek sighed. "Yura, my parents don't know I like boys. I barely knew it before I met you and suddenly... _this_ made sense."  
"Oh! Can you text them back and say _by the way the grand prix final gold medallist is my boyfriend?"_ Yuri was still frowning and Otabek shook his head.  
"They're not like Hiroko or Lilia. They won't understand. They'll tell me I just haven't met the right girl yet and... and they'll be ashamed of me. Yura!"

But Yuri was on his feet and walking away. He turned and yelled, _"Of course they won't understand if you never explain it to them! Are _YOU_ ashamed?"_

Otabek caught up. He held Yuri and kissed him but Yuri stiffened and pressed his lips closed. Otabek let go and stepped back, eyes on the stony ground between them.  
"Yuri, maybe I could tell coach but I'm not ready to come out to my parents yet. Please accept that for now. I don't want them to ruin this before it even goes anywhere."  
"Ugh okay." Yuri punched Otabek's arm and glared. "What do you mean _before it goes anywhere?"_  
Otabek reached for Yuri's hand, grasping tightly. "I just thought you wouldn't... It's okay if you don't want us to have sex yet. Or if you never want to. Yura, I–"  
Yuri dropped his scowl for a look of utter confusion.  
"What on Earth makes you think I don't want...? I thought _you_ didn't want to!"

Otabek stared then stifled a nervous giggle. Yuri punched his arm again, but not so hard. "Not funny!" He pulled a sour face but couldn't hold on to it. Yuri looked at the sky and yelled.  
"So all this time we could have been...?"


	7. In the moment

"Again?" Yuri groaned and wiped his face, slicking sweat from his forehead back through his hair and making it stick up. Otabek thought he might melt either from the heat of exertion or from happiness. He smiled and stroked Yuri's hair down and around his ear.  
"Mmhmm, again. We're getting so much more out of this now we've done it a few times."  
"I know! I didn't think I had much to learn, but you've really shown me some new techniques."  
"Same. I mean the way you prepare so thoroughly for–"  
"Please!" Victor's voice cut through their mutual admiration. "Just practise your routine again and remember your cues for the synchronised jumps. I'll re-start the music."  
Yuri skated back to the centre of the ice and Otabek leaned against the barrier in a convincing show of indifference. The first beat of _Welcome to the Madness_ thumped from the speakers and Yuri launched into motion.

By the time Yuri fell to the ice with Otabek's finger-gun the murder weapon, they were both utterly spent. Yuri lay still, chest heaving and knees just lifting, blades trying to get purchase on the ice. Otabek, breathing settling but face still flushed, glided over and held out both hands. "Up! C'mon, you're getting wet and then you'll be cold."  
Yuri heaved himself off his back with Otabek's assistance. "That's good enough for the show, right? I mean, it's not a competition and there won't be any officials here."  
Otabek took in Yuri's expression. He was tired from their early morning walk and afternoon practice session that left them both drained. He nodded. "Yes. Let's go back and use the hot spring then sleep for a while."

Otabek followed Yuri off the ice and they sat on a bench in the changing area to unlace each other's skates and ease them off. Yuri shivered. The chill from the ice-water that had soaked through his shirt and leggings stole heat away from his skin. Otabek leaned over and felt the damp of Yuri's clothes. He helped Yuri peel off his shirt and offered his leather jacket in its place, then pulled Yuri's leggings off and offered him the jeans he had worn on their short bike ride to Ice Castle Hasetsu. Soon Yuri sat cocooned in too-big borrowed clothes and Otabek smiled at the warmth he felt for this boy. Yuri scowled and pouted. Otabek crawled along the bench to kiss him. It should have been a quick kiss and pull away, but Yuri wrapped his arms around Otabek's neck and pulled him down until Otabek lay prone on top of him on the slatted wooden bench in the changing area. Yuri slid both hands into Otabek's hair, holding him still, and kissed him again and again until Otabek moved the hand that had been keeping him from slipping off Yuri, off the bench and onto the floor, and rocked sideways, only just saving himself from gravity with a push from his toes. 

Otabek stood and slung his backpack on. Yuri adjusted the waistband of his borrowed jeans, blushing at how much he liked the feel of the worn-in fabric, and how soft the lining of Otabek's leather jacket felt against his bare skin. The trip back to the Katsuki home was short. Yuri would have shuffled forward and rested against Otabek's back, arms tight around his waist, but his bag got in the way. He daydreamed of the trips up into the mountains of Kazakhstan's border that Otabek had promised, to see beautiful places together and pretend that they were the only humans on Earth.

Back in Yuri's room, Otabek watched Yuri drape his damp training clothes over a chair and suggested using the hot spring while it was quiet, before Victor and Yuuri got back from practice, while Hiroko was still out with Minako, before the after-work crowd arrived. Yuri thought for a few seconds then smiled at him.  
"Okay, but there's something else I want first."  
Otabek frowned. "Oh?"  
Yuri closed the door and looked away. He took off Otabek's jacket and dropped it on the floor. Otabek's jeans followed and Yuri stood naked. He glanced up, relieved to see Otabek staring at him with neck and cheeks flushing hot. "You want to?"

Otabek nodded. He shed his clothing, adding to the pile on Yuri's floor. He stepped forward and reached out with one hand to stroke Yuri's cheek but Yuri launched forwards. Otabek staggered backwards and fell onto Yuri's bed with Yuri straddling him and kissing his neck. Otabek giggled and squirmed at the sensation, giving in for a few seconds then snaking a hand between them to cover Yuri's erection and make him gasp. Yuri sat up, both hands on Otabek's chest.  
"Do you have, you know, stuff?"  
"Huh?" Otabek looked confused. Yuri rolled his eyes.  
"Stuff! You know. For... for sex."  
"Oh! Uh, no. I wasn't expecting–"  
"Wait here."

Yuri got up and put on the robe he'd borrowed from the onsen and had no intention of ever returning. He slipped out of the room and came back two minutes later with a small gift bag. He held it out to Otabek with a horrified expression.  
"Uuuuugh look!"  
Otabek sat up and took the bag. He emptied out the contents and read the label.

_For Yurio-kun and Beka-chan. Victor said you might try to steal ours so I got you some of your own and left it here where you would look._

Otabek blushed at the thought that Yuuri would see that the condoms and lube he'd bought for them had gone from his drawer, but he smiled at Yuri.  
"So do you want to use these or not?"


	8. Quick

Yuri lay awake, listening to Otabek breathe. They lay side by side in Otabek's bed, in his bedroom in his parents' house in Almaty. The house was silent apart from the low hum of domestic electricity and the occasional distant rumble from passing trucks on the highway. It must be almost morning. 

Yuri thought the three hour time difference between Hasetsu and Almaty was a gift. It gave them just enough excuse to claim fatigue and escape from awkward family evenings and hide in Otabek's room with music and games, then say a friendly _goodnight_ and close their separate doors when Otabek's parents _finally_ turned off the television and came to tell their boy and his friend to go to bed so they would be rested for practice the next morning.

On each of the three nights since Yuri arrived in Almaty, he'd waited until his host's parents were asleep - it only took about half an hour for him to be sure the snoring that came through the wall from their room would not let up until their alarm went off - and crept out of bed. He'd taken tentative steps and opened doors slowly in case of squeaks and creaks, and crept into his lover's arms where he would lie until light peered through the gaps in the blinds to wake him with the birds.

Yuri watched Otabek sleep and smiled. He eased himself out of bed and leaned over, dropping a quick kiss onto Otabek's lips, stifling a giggle as Otabek grumbled and turned, curling around the space Yuri had just vacated. 

A few soft footsteps and Yuri was back in the guest room with their secret safe for another night. 

Through the wall, Otabek's mother stretched and smiled at her alarm clock. She had an hour before she had to get up, and her son had someone who loved him.


	9. Can't let go

Yuri sat in the back of the small car with Otabek, silent and staring out of the window as they slowly approached the airport terminal building. They had already said goodbye in private with kisses and promises to talk every day and skate together again soon. Otabek's mother pulled into a space in the closest car park and turned a serious face to her passengers.  
"Beka, if you want to kiss your boyfriend goodbye, do it here and not in the terminal. I will wait for you in the cafe. Remember to check you lock up the car properly."

Otabek's mother left them speechless. Yuri took Otabek's hand in both of his and scowled.  
"Did that asshole coach out you to your parents?"  
Otabek shook his head. "He can't have or you would have been put on the first flight out of Almaty. He wouldn't. He just said _'the hero of Kazakhstan has an image to maintain so don't get caught'_. Why would he tell anyone? Yura," Otabek raised Yuri's hands and kissed his knuckles, "it's okay."  
Yuri almost exploded but remembered just in time that they sat in an enclosed space.  
"It is NOT okay! You trained in Russia before. Come back with me."  
Otabek shook his head. "I just got back home last year. Russia didn't work out for me before. Maybe... maybe I could train abroad after the Winter Olympics."  
"That's ages away! I want–"  
_–I want to see you wake up grumpy every morning and make you smile._  
Yuri closed his mouth before it revealed too much of his infatuation, too soon. "Never mind."

Otabek swivelled uncomfortably in the small space and stroked Yuri's hair, pushing his fingers into the long, blond strands. He leaned forward and Yuri met him halfway. They kissed and separated, then Yuri lurched forwards again and they kissed a second time. Yuri pulled back just far enough that he could focus on Otabek's deep brown eyes.  
"I have to go."  
"I know." Otabek pulled Yuri's face towards him and kissed him again. Yuri smiled despite his misery at parting. He pulled away again.  
"I really have to go!"  
Otabek nodded and sighed. Yuri went in for one last kiss. Then another and another until it was Otabek who laughed and pushed Yuri away.  
"You really have to go."

Otabek got Yuri's case from the hatchback, locked the car and walked with him to bag drop and then security without speaking. Yuri thought it would have been easier to have left Otabek at the car. He offered Otabek an awkward handshake but Otabek smiled and held his shoulder, leaned forward and kissed him once on each cheek.  
"I won't watch you leave," he murmured.  
Yuri nodded and they walked away from one another without looking round.


	10. Breathtaking

Yuri thought Helsinki, or at least what he'd seen of it on a wet Wednesday evening from the taxi between the airport and the hotel and the ice rink, was the coolest place he had ever been. What made it the absolute coolest was that for the next four days he was here and so was Otabek. They'd been in almost constant contact although Yuri knew they wouldn't have much opportunity to see each other until the end of the competition.

So what if they were rivals.

"Yuri!" Lilia interrupted his daydream as he imagined being rescheduled into the same group as Otabek for Thursday's short programme. "Straight to bed. Yours, I mean. Your short programme is demanding enough without you being up half the night with your boyfriend."  
"Yeah, whatever," said Yuri angrily. Otabek had just texted to say that his coach was keeping him under supervision, away from _unsuitable influences_. "Beka's in the first group so I won't see him anyway. I can't believe I got drawn in the same group as Katsudon."  
Lilia shrugged. "It does not matter. You will skate your best, whoever is on the ice warming up with you does not matter. Your _Adoration of the Chosen One_ has a high enough difficulty that most of your rivals will not be able to beat your maximum score."  
"Beka is skating _Dance of the Earth_ so I should go first."  
Lilia smiled. "Mmhmm if only the organisers catered for artistic collaboration between rival skaters. Yura, stop thinking about it so hard and prepare to skate your feet off tomorrow afternoon."

Next day, Otabek was whisked away from the rink before Yuri even got his costume on. Katsudon annoyed him just by existing and Victor, who had not yet fully launched his comeback because he did not automatically qualify for the Worlds, was insufferably supportive of his pet piggy. Yuri wanted to retch. He pulled faces until Yakov yelled at him to grow up.

Although Yuri's short programme went well, it fell short of the perfection he had hoped for. But by the end of the day the world record remained in his possession. He Skyped Otabek over the hotel's overworked wifi, waiting an age for the call to connect.  
"How did _Dance of the Earth_ go?"  
_"...okay. Umm."_  
"Ugh you pixellated and I can't make out anything."  
_"...'ng on"_  
The screen flickered and the call ended. Yuri cursed loudly at the inadequacy of complimentary wifi and searched the hotel info pack to find prices for decent bandwidth. A loud rapping at his door made him swear even louder.

Yuri stamped to his door, wondering whether Lilia was checking that he was alone or if Yakov wanted to give him another pep talk about the dangers of fraternising with rivals. He threw his door open, scowling, deep breath in ready to huff or yell. His mouth fell open.

"BEKA!"  
It was as wonderful as it was unexpected. He flung himself into Otabek's arms. His eyes closed and he let himself drift along, carried high by the feeling of warmth and relief that Otabek's presence gave him. He kissed Otabek hard, lips and tongue seeking pressure first and sensation second, afterward resting his forehead on Otabek's with his eyes closed and mouth hanging open and (probably) the _stupidest_ smile. Otabek clung even tighter and kissed him again. Yuri wrapped his arms around Otabek's neck and held on. Otabek's hands pulled at his hips and Yuri leapt up, legs around Otabek's waist, back crashing into the flimsy partition wall between his room's entrance and en-suite. The wall juddered but Yuri barely noticed and would not have cared even if they crashed through it. All that mattered was Otabek's mouth on his and Otabek's hands on his ass.

After a couple of minutes, Otabek paused for air. He kissed Yuri more gently and let his feet find the floor again. "I missed you. Reception told me your room number after I pretended to be your physiotherapist."  
Yuri laughed. "I missed you too and it's only been a week since I left Almaty! Fuck! How am I going to cope between now and the Rostelecom Cup in October? That's five months away!"  
Otabek let Yuri lead him by the hand into the room properly. They lay on the bed, staring at one another, touching and smiling.  
"Coach says I can spend some time training abroad if I want," said Otabek with a grin. "There are some conditions, but I can come to Saint Petersburg soon, maybe a couple more weeks."

Yuri could not have been happier. He rolled over on top of Otabek and kissed him again. But he would wait, he decided. It was too soon to say. Maybe after the exhibition on Sunday he might have found the courage to tell Otabek _I l–_  
"Huh?" Yuri frowned at Otabek's words, half-heard and maybe filtered through his imagination.  
"Ugh I'm sorry, was that too cheesy?"  
"No! No, just, say it again?" This time Yuri was all ears. Otabek surged up and kissed him then lay back and stroked Yuri's cheek. He smiled.  
"I said I love you, idiot!"


End file.
